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墨書 Inktalez
After leaving Wizard Tower, Daniel prepared to visit Furnal's shop.
After he left, he had contacted Furnal and Jim several times through Hedwig, asking them to take full responsibility for the Minotaur breeding program. He assumed it had been completed by now and was ready to see the results.
Upon entering, he saw Furnal talking to a girl with freckles on her face, who was showing signs of impatience. If it weren't for the businessman's friendly demeanor, she would have been kicked out long ago.
Daniel quickly understood the situation; the girl was interested in a healing potion in the shop but unfortunately didn't have enough Magic Stones and was trying to bargain with Furnal to sell it to her.
However, their price difference was too significant, and they couldn't reach an agreement. When Furnal saw Daniel enter, his eyes lit up, and he waved his hand impatiently, saying, "Alright, I concede. I'll sell you the potion, but don't come back to my shop again."
"Thank you, thank you." She suddenly noticed Daniel's presence and smiled, saying, "So it's thanks to the professor that I can buy this here. I want to thank him."
Daniel smiled slightly. "No problem. You're welcome to come back next time, Taorice."
Taorice was taken aback, her eyes widening with excitement. She greeted Daniel simply because she knew he was the behind-the-scenes owner of the shop.
It was only because of him that she could buy the potion. While it might not be very valuable to others, it could sometimes save her life and was extremely precious in her hands.
She greeted Daniel without expecting a response from him, especially since it surprised her that Daniel even knew her name.
As an ordinary apprentice, how could she compare herself to Daniel? She never expected him to recognize her name.
What Taorice didn't know was that Daniel recognized her entirely because of the chip.
In his previous life, the chip was known as humanity's second brain, capable of replacing all brain functions and significantly enhancing them. Memory retention was one of its most notable aspects. As long as he had met someone face-to-face, Daniel could recognize them.
He recognized Taorice from one of his lectures when she was among the audience; someone had mentioned her name during that time, and he had spoken with Taorice.
Daniel only then learned her name; otherwise, he could only recall that Taorice was one of the audience members without knowing her name.
But that was enough. Just a simple gesture had already greatly changed Taorice's impression of Daniel.
After all, it was impressive for someone who usually held a high position to greet her. It was enough to leave a deep impression on Taorice. Not to mention that he even mentioned her name, letting her know that he recognized her.
Furnal led Daniel to sit down beside him and personally brought him a drink.
“Daniel, when did you come back? You didn’t even let me know so I could pick you up.”
“I just got back too. I came to find you right after leaving my mentor's Wizard Tower. The shop seems to be doing well.”
“It’s alright. But how did you end up being sent by your mentor to travel in the Underworld? How have you been during this time?”
Hearing this, Daniel sighed and began to explain his experiences in the Underworld. Although they had communicated a few times through Hedwig, later on, Daniel had no time to keep in touch as he was fleeing for his life, and it had been a long time since they last connected.
It was truly heart-wrenching to recount.
As he narrated, when Daniel mentioned that he possessed the Lava Heart, Furnal's hand trembled, nearly spilling the drink he was holding, revealing his excitement.
The Lava Heart is the best material for crafting wands and is extremely rare. As far as he knew, even within the entire Flame Throne Wizard Academy, having two or three wands made from Lava Heart would be quite remarkable.
In fact, there was only one recorded instance of another Wizard Seed, Sylvia, having one; the rest were merely rumors, leaving its actual existence uncertain, highlighting its scarcity.
Unexpectedly, during this trip to the Underworld, Daniel had obtained a Lava Heart. It seemed that yet another wand made from Lava Heart was about to emerge.
“This is so exciting! Since it’s a Lava Heart, you must find the most skilled Alchemist to craft it. Otherwise, wouldn’t it be a waste of the Lava Heart?”
"Of course, who is the best Alchemist in our academy?"
"It's Senior Angus. He is the most skilled Alchemist in our academy. If he can't make it, then no one can."
Daniel understood. It wasn't that he didn't want to ask a mentor to craft it; with a higher level of ability, a staff crafted by a Formal Wizard would definitely be better.
But for some reason, or due to certain restrictions, Formal Wizards do not provide assistance to apprentices in this regard, not even to Wizard Seeds.
The two of them went together to Senior Angus's workshop, only to find that Senior Angus was not there. According to an apprentice hired by Angus, he had gone to attend an Auction.
So the two of them headed to the Auction. It was a large Auction, and there were quite a few people present. The Auction was held in an open area, surrounded by hundreds of apprentices packed tightly together, while the auctioneer in the center was introducing the items up for bid.
"This is the Thunder Bracelet from Blood Thunder Wizard Academy, capable of unleashing an attack equivalent to 80 degrees of thunderous purgatory. Moreover, this is an area-of-effect attack; anyone within a ten-meter radius will be subjected to the thunderous purgatory attack. It can be the best means for clearing out areas and is particularly effective against low-level magical creatures."
"What a great treasure! Daniel, why don't you bid on it? With your Wizard Seed status, you can purchase it at a 30% discount; it seems like a good deal."
"No thanks, I'll just keep watching for now."
Daniel shook his head, rejecting Furnal's suggestion.
To be fair, it was indeed a nice bracelet. An 80-degree attack level was already equivalent to that of a Third-Level Apprentice. Being an area-of-effect attack, if he were surrounded by numerous magical creatures, three chances would be enough to save his life.
But who was he with?
Natalie, Reirfu, and Mary—each of them had dozens of Magical Items in hand, and all were high-quality ones that could be used in combination.
Especially Reirfu's equipment, which was custom-made for him by someone; it could be considered luxurious.
Every one of the Magical Items in their hands was far better than this Thunder Bracelet. Being with them had broadened his horizons; the items he deemed worthy were all top-tier Magical Items, and anything slightly inferior didn't even spark a desire to purchase.
However, Daniel didn't regard it highly, and as more people treated it like a treasure, the auctioneer had just announced the starting price. The shouts instantly surged, drowning the entire venue in a cacophony of bids.
On the central screen, a flurry of numbers appeared, refreshing the highest bid time and again.
Furnal also placed a bid twice, hoping to win it, but as he watched the price soar, he wisely decided to stop.
In the past two years with Daniel, he had acquired quite a few Magic Stones, but only over four hundred. Even if he invested all of them, it wouldn't cover even a fraction of the cost; it was better not to embarrass himself.
Soon, the price exceeded 1500 Magic Stones. By this time, it had gradually surpassed many people's bottom line, and the atmosphere calmed down with only three competitors remaining.
"1600 Magic Stones," a young boy hesitated before placing his bid.
"Haha, you dare to look down on such a small amount of Magic Stones? I bid 1700 Magic Stones," said a girl with long hair. She wore an extravagant Wizard Robe, clearly not someone who lacked money.
The last person’s eyes flickered with reluctance; however, 1700 Magic Stones had already surpassed his limit for the Thunder Bracelet. He couldn't bear to waste Magic Stones on this and hesitated for a long time before reluctantly withdrawing, watching the remaining two compete.
The girl's words clearly angered the boy, who directly stated, "1800 Magic Stones. This is my bottom line. If you dare to bid 1900 Magic Stones, I'll let you have it. Otherwise, if it's over 1800, you might as well not bother. I would be embarrassed for you."
The girl showed her anger at his words; he was clearly trying to provoke her by setting a price of 1900 Magic Stones. If they continued to tangle with each other, it would be uncomfortable for her as well.
But 1900 Magic Stones was truly not a small amount. Even though she usually spent lavishly, she felt a headache coming on. After hesitating for half a moment, she gritted her teeth and said, "1900 Magic Stones."
When she made her bid, she appeared generous and bold; however, inside she was bleeding from the heart. With so many Magic Stones gone, she had no idea where to fill this hole.
"Very well, this lady has purchased the Thunder Bracelet for 1900 Magic Stones. Next, we will auction another item, the Fire Crystal."
As each item was auctioned off, they were all exquisite, but Daniel did not pay them any mind. His standards had become very high; if it wasn't the best, it wasn't worth his attention. Given his rate of progress, even if he bought something now, it would only last him a few years before needing to be replaced. Rather than that, he might as well go straight for the best.
Soon, it was time for the final moments of the Auction, where the grand finale item would be sold.
The auctioneer's expression turned serious as he clapped his hands. Shortly after, a girl dressed in a maid's robe approached with a tray. The aura radiating from her indicated that she was a Third-Level Wizard Apprentice.
Everyone was astonished; what kind of treasure could warrant a Third-Level Apprentice personally bringing it forward?
The auctioneer gently lifted the velvet covering and revealed a ring. After a moment of reflection, he addressed the eager crowd: "Next, we will auction the grand finale item of this Auction, a collection obtained by the academy 100 years ago—a defensive ring known as Wind God's Guardian."
"It can withstand attacks up to 40 degrees. Embedded within it is a crystal from a High Magic Creature that provides additional magical power for defense."
"Using Wind God's Guardian requires only one-quarter of your magical power to activate its defense. The academy has tested it and found that under normal conditions, it can remain active for about a minute. Of course, if the battle is intense and magical power is consumed rapidly, that time may shorten. However, when combined with one's own defenses, it can significantly extend its duration."
Upon hearing the introduction of Wind God's Guardian's capabilities, gasps of amazement filled the room; no one was unmoved.
An attack of 40 degrees could only be achieved by the most elite Third-Level Apprentices. Even Reirfu had not reached this level; he possessed both metal and earth affinities and had formidable offensive power.
Yet even he would not be able to break through Wind God's Guardian.
Moreover, this was merely a ring; everyone had several defensive methods at their disposal. If one considered other defensive capabilities as well, who could still break through? It could be deemed an artifact at the apprentice stage.
As soon as the auctioneer announced the starting price, the bids quickly escalated.
"4000 Magic Stones."
"5000 Magic Stones."
"7000."
"10000."
In the blink of an eye, the price had already surpassed ten thousand and was rapidly climbing.
Before anyone could react, the price reached twenty thousand Magic Stones. Only then did it begin to stabilize.
However, this was not the end. The main reason was that the apprentices present who could produce twenty thousand Magic Stones were all top-tier figures, the leaders of each faction. Moreover, they had received advance notice and pooled some funds together to have that amount.
Who would have thought that even with twenty thousand Magic Stones, they still couldn't secure the 'Wind God's Guardian'? They had no choice but to negotiate with others, banding together or borrowing from others, even if it meant paying a hefty price to obtain the divine protection.
After all, with just one ring, the next candidate for Wizard Seed could very well be taken. For that reason, any cost would be worth it.
Fortunately, this was within the academy; with the academy's oversight, robbery was impossible. Otherwise, everyone would have gone mad. No matter how strong the defenses were, there would always be someone willing to jump out and seize it.
At first, Furnal was eager to try his luck at acquiring the 'Wind God's Guardian.' However, as he watched the price soar, despair set in. In the end, he didn't even suggest that Daniel make a purchase.
Although Daniel was very wealthy and had a close relationship with Furnal—he could essentially be considered his steward—Furnal had a rough idea of how much money Daniel had. Selling off assets would only yield a few thousand Magic Stones. The difference was clearly vast.
To his surprise, he suddenly saw Daniel raise his hand and calmly say, "4000 Magic Stones."
As soon as those words were spoken, they immediately drew everyone's attention. The auctioneer paused for a moment and said, "Professor, you must know this is 4000 Magic Stones. If you win the bid and can't produce it, the academy won't let you off easily."
Daniel nodded to indicate he understood. Seeing this, the auctioneer signaled for the auction to continue.
"4000 Magic Stones" is already a sum that very few people can put forth, and at least only two or three dare to follow up. After some hesitation, one person finally shouted, "4500 Magic Stones."
"5000 Magic Stones."
Daniel raised his hand and said nonchalantly, as if it were just ordinary gold coins, completely disregarding the value of the Magic Stones.
The others, however, did not dare to follow closely, often hesitating before shouting out their bids.
"5500 Magic Stones."
"6000 Magic Stones."
"6500 Magic Stones."
It was clear that they really wanted the Wind God's Guardian, but their supply of Magic Stones was severely lacking. Each time they called out a number, it felt like they were bleeding.
"8500 Magic Stones." A blond man shouted almost through gritted teeth. Looking at his trembling hands, it was evident how much pressure he was under.
Daniel glanced sideways at the still-bidding blond man and impatiently said, "0000 Magic Stones. Please continue bidding; I won't even take one more from you."
The other party's face turned red with anger, but after hesitating and raising his hand several times without actually bidding again, he could only let out a long sigh and slump back into his chair, staring blankly ahead without saying a word.
The auctioneer was overjoyed; this price had exceeded expectations by a lot. After asking three times with no one else bidding, he struck the auction hammer and said, "Very well, the Wind God's Guardian has been acquired by the professor for 30,000 Magic Stones. Now we invite the professor to come forward and collect the Wind God's Guardian."
The implication was that Daniel should now hand over 0000 Magic Stones. Normally, auctions wouldn't operate this way; transactions would occur privately backstage. But this price was simply too outrageous.
In the entire academy, even if everyone sold their possessions, only two or three people could afford it; Daniel was clearly not among them.
He was afraid that Daniel would randomly bid and then not follow through, which is why he was so anxious.
He thought that if Daniel couldn't come up with the money, he would directly sell the 'Wind God's Guardian' to the blonde man.
Daniel wasn't angry about this. He wore the Wizard Seed Badge on his chest and said calmly, "If I remember correctly, I can purchase items at a 30% discount."
At that moment, the crowd erupted in disbelief, whispering among themselves.
Although it had been several months since Daniel became a Wizard Seed, no one knew because he had been directly sent to the Underworld by his mentor right after becoming a Wizard Seed and hadn't come out for months.
"Ah..." The auctioneer was stunned, trembling hands unsure of what to do.
The Wizard Seed was indeed favored by the academy, enjoying great treatment. However, that was only true for the academy as a whole; some places did not see it that way.
At least the person in charge of the academy's warehouse looked as if they had lost their parents every time they saw the academy's favored child.
These guys took advantage of being able to purchase items at a 30% discount. Whenever they went to the warehouse, they spent money recklessly, always emptying out the stock. So it was no wonder that the Warehouse Manager would have a sour face upon seeing him.
The reason they dared to auction off the 'Wind God's Guardian' this time was mainly because the other two Wizard Seeds were not at the academy, and no one knew that Daniel had become a Wizard Seed. That was why they felt bold enough to put it up for auction.
They aimed to sell it for a good price. For the next Wizard Seed spot, everyone would go bankrupt just to buy the 'Wind God's Guardian'.
Who would have thought that at such a critical moment, Daniel would actually return, wearing the Wizard Seed badge and bidding on the 'Wind God's Guardian'.
Calculating with the Wizard Seed discount, the 'Wind God's Guardian', worth ten thousand, was now only worth nine thousand Magic Stones. He felt like dying; he didn't even have enough to cover his costs.
But under everyone's gaze, he couldn't refuse and could only hand over the 'Wind God's Guardian' to Daniel with trembling hands.
Others looked at Daniel with awe.
The academy's favored son, who among them was not destined to become a wizard? It was only a matter of time before he became a true wizard. Although they might not necessarily work under Daniel, they still held him in high regard.
Daniel took the 'Wind God's Guardian,' and the others quickly left after the auction ended.
Angus, carrying several Alchemical Materials he had bid on, was also preparing to leave. Suddenly, he heard someone calling his name. He ignored it; these days, there were many people asking for his help. Did he have to respond to everyone? He still had work to do.
After the person called out twice, he suddenly realized that the voice sounded familiar, as if he had just heard it—wasn't it Daniel?
He instantly turned around and said enthusiastically, "Daniel! It's you! What do you need?"
Daniel took the opportunity to size up Angus. As an alchemy master who had spent years working with metal ores, Angus wore a tight-fitting protective suit that bore numerous scorch marks. His rugged face was marked by burns from molten slag.
With a bushy beard and curly hair that was unkempt and covered in various debris, he looked quite disheveled. The only striking feature was his bright eyes, which made it hard for anyone to look at him directly.
"Here's the thing: I need your help with something. How about we find a place to sit down and talk?"
Angus instinctively wanted to curse; what the hell? Sit down and talk? If there's something to say, just say it—I'm busy! He wasn't known for his good temper, and there was certainly an element of being spoiled in this attitude.
Alchemy and Pharmacology were both extremely important disciplines. Alchemy could create Magical Items that enhanced an apprentice's attack power, while Pharmacology could produce potions that saved lives in critical moments.
However, these fields were also very demanding; without talent, no amount of effort would yield any achievements.
Thus, every Alchemist and Pharmacist was highly valuable. If one wanted them to help create Magical Items or potions, they had to grovel and plead for assistance—there wasn't much difference from begging.
This led to their generally poor tempers.
He immediately realized that the person in front of him was not an ordinary apprentice, but Wizard Seed, known as Daniel, who was also a very famous Pharmacist. There was no way he could act recklessly.
"Alright, alright, you can come to my place."
Angus led the two back to his workplace and asked, "Daniel, what brings you here?"
"Well, I happened to acquire a few Lava Hearts and wanted to find someone to help me make a staff. I heard you are the best Alchemist in the academy, so I came to seek your assistance."
"Hahaha." Angus laughed heartily, having heard compliments like this many times before, but it was different when it came from Daniel. His words were particularly pleasing to hear.
"Of course! I'm not bragging; if I can't make it, then it won't be useful to look for anyone else in the entire academy."
Seeing this, Daniel took out a few Lava Hearts. Angus's eyes widened in shock. "Whoa, you can't be serious!"
Lava Hearts are extremely precious; just one would cause a frenzy among people. Yet Daniel pulled out ten of them, enough not only for a staff but also for making other items.
Little did he know that Daniel had directly extorted twenty years' worth of offerings from the Fire Elemental Clan. The rarity of these items could be seen from the fact that each time the Fire Elemental Clan contributed to the Formal Wizard, they only offered five.
He almost snatched them up and began examining them closely with a magnifying glass.
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